LOVAGE MAKES IT TO THE MICHELIN GUIDE

A NEWCASTLE restaurant is celebrating today after making it into the Michelin Guide – just five months after opening its doors.

Lovage, at St George’s Terrace, Jesmond, has been a huge hit since day one, with chef and co-owner Kleo Tabaku’s Mediterranean style, bistro food proving massively popular.

And now that passion has been rewarded even further, with high praise from Michelin in the latest edition of the guide.

Michelin describes Lovage as a “charming neighbourhood brasserie” and adds that it’s “not surprising to see the flavours and colours of the Mediterranean feature” in the Albanian-born head chef’s food.

“There is a welcome lack of fussiness to the cooking – dishes burst with flavour and are designed for sharing; with sensibly priced wines from across Europe being an added plus,” said Michelin.

The guide also praised Kleo’s partner and front-of-house manager Lisa for being “ a natural hostess.”

Kleo  – who has worked in a number of high end establishments but has always had a dream to own his own restaurant featuring his particular style of cooking – is thrilled with the result.

“It is absolutely fantastic to be recognised by Michelin in such a short space of time,” he said.

“Everyone is absolutely delighted to have been mentioned in what is the world’s most prestigious restaurant guide and it’s testament to all of our team for the hard work they have put in.”

Dishes on the menu reflect the seasons, with current starters including Cornish sardines, salsa verde and lovage crumb and cauliflower, spinach and wind foraged garlic fritters with minted yoghurt, which had previously been praised by Michelin on social media.     

Mains feature dishes such as Skrei cod, mussels and clam chowder, Yorkshire rabbit pappardelle with gremolata to Harissa roasted sweet potato, pomegranate and aubergine cous cous.

Desserts have also become a firm favourite at the restaurant, with current offerings such as blood orange and passion fruit tart with stem ginger and marscapone cream or apple and rhubarb crumble.

Stuart Young, co-owner of Lovage praised everyone at the restaurant.

“All the faith we have had in Kleo and his team from day one has been acknowledged in the best way possible,” he said.

“This is an incredible achievement in such a short space of time.”

For further information visit www.lovagejesmond.co.uk